Shell Workshop

Getting Started in the Shell

About This Course

A quick, one-lesson introduction to the Unix-style command-line environment.
This course is intended to get you up to speed on the shell — using a terminal, managing files and directories, and running command-line programs.

Why Take This?

Although the Unix shell has an "old school" feel, it remains an important skill, due to the incredible popularity of Unix-like systems: The majority of web servers in the world today run on Linux, and the same `bash` command line is shipped with every Mac computer.
Using the shell is a prerequisite for many other developer skills including version control (such as `git`) and deployment.

Prerequisites and Requirements

**This is a course for beginners to the shell environment.**
To take this course, you'll need a current Mac, Windows, or Linux computer.
You should be familiar with elementary programming concepts such as "statement", "variable", "argument to a function", and "file". No particular programming language is required, though.

The Unix shell is a valuable tool for developing and deploying software. Learn the basics of this terminal-based, command-line interface.